17 replies to this topic

[Speedy27]

A full field of F5000's from Australia, New Zealand, the UK and South Africa once again provided a wonderful spectacle at this year's Australian Grand Prix. A selection of my favourite images of them in action can be seen at the following link :

F5000 images - 2011 Australian F1 Grand Prix

The annual historic demonstration runs also brought to the event a diverse and enjoyable selection of classic road, racing and sports cars from past decades. This collection of images covers much, if not all, of the cars which took part :

Historic Demonstration images - 2011 Australian F1 Grand Prix

Enjoy them!
Peter

[NZALPA]

A full field of F5000's from Australia, New Zealand, the UK and South Africa once again provided a wonderful spectacle at this year's Australian Grand Prix. A selection of my favourite images of them in action can be seen at the following link :

F5000 images - 2011 Australian F1 Grand Prix

The annual historic demonstration runs also brought to the event a diverse and enjoyable selection of classic road, racing and sports cars from past decades. This collection of images covers much, if not all, of the cars which took part :

Historic Demonstration images - 2011 Australian F1 Grand Prix

Enjoy them!
Peter

Many thanks Peter. I have been waiting for the F5000 photos and it was worth it.

Great photos with so many new cars in the F5000 grid.

The Aussies have really got themselves organised with the number of local cars on track and they deserve great credit. Well done guys.

Your cars look great and so much history...............

Edited by NZALPA, 30 April 2011 - 09:01.

[goffer]

thanks Peter

a fabulous, superb album of pictures !

Do you (or anyone else for that matter) have any more details regarding;
a) the #17 machine (seriously scary looking thing !!)
b) the pale blue #5 (looks like it might be a Matich chassis modified / "updated" with side radiators ?)
c) the chassis # of the #27 McRae GM1

thanks in anticipation
Graham

[Speedy27]

Many thanks Peter. I have been waiting for the F5000 photos and it was worth it.

Great photos with so many new cars in the F5000 grid.

The Aussies have really got themselves organised with the number of local cars on track and they deserve great credit. Well done guys.

Your cars look great and so much history...............

Thanks so much!

Yes, every year when I think I've seen all the restored and un-garaged F5000's, so a few more appear on track! They are, for me, the highlight of every single event at which they appear, not least as I was just too young to remember them in period and have only previously seen many of them in books and magazines from way back when.

Although there is an increasing number of F5000 coming out of hiding here in Australia, the NZ guys have, I believe, been the main driver of at least the southern hemisphere F5000 resurgence in the modern era. It beggars belief how a country with such a small population can contain such a dreamy collection of historic racing machinery from all over the world That these events regularly attract entrants from all over the world speaks volumes about how they go about encouraging the sport to grow once again. Have a look at the NZ F5000 website here (http://www.f5000.co.nz/) for detailed coverage of what is now an annual championship series.

[Speedy27]

thanks Peter

a fabulous, superb album of pictures !

Do you (or anyone else for that matter) have any more details regarding;
a) the #17 machine (seriously scary looking thing !!)
b) the pale blue #5 (looks like it might be a Matich chassis modified / "updated" with side radiators ?)
c) the chassis # of the #27 McRae GM1

thanks in anticipation
Graham

Hi Graham

Thanks for your much appreciated comments.

As regards your questions, I can give you a little help only, as my passion for this game thankfully does not (overly) extend to a chassis-by-chassis account of motorsport history:) As for the rest, have a look at www.oldracingcars.com.

a) Number 17's appearance had a very special meaning for me, as I was the instigator in getting it's owner, South African motorsport historian and author of various books on SA motorsport history and African affairs, Greg Mills - who also is a bit of a gun behind the wheel, no doubt due to his very successful karting background in his younger years - to bring it here for PI and the AGP this year. It was a journey fraught with drama, with the car only arriving at the last possible minute .... give or take another 24 freaking hours!!

What I can tell you, only because when Greg first told me about it, my first words were "what the hell is a Sana?" is that the Sana RD11 started life in the UK as a Formula 3 car in 1976. It was later converted to Atlantic spec and then to F5000 spec, with drivers of day including Terry (brother of Larry) Perkins and the one and only Gerry Marshall, who reportedly proclaimed the car - then still in Atlantic spec - to be "a heap of junk." This may or may not have hastened its conversion to an F5000 machine. It was last used in the UK by Bill Oliver, complete with Rover/Buick V8 power until sold in 1996. Greg tracked it down in 2007 in a condition best described as tragic and it has since been subject to a very impressive restoration in South Africa by Mike Budd. Other than two very brief shakedown sessions in SA in the weeks preceding it's eventful transport to Aus, this was Greg's first experience of it in race conditions.

Despite some teething troubles, which were effectively dealt with as they cropped up, he get progressively quicker and, to coin a Brundle'ism, 'racier' in it at both meetings and was heading for an excellent final result at Albert Park, when some late braking tempted the following blue Matich A53 of Chris Hocking (which you refer to in (b) above) to emulate him and then proceed to launch itself over his right rear wheel and just miss his helmet (well that's the story he tells his wife, but hours in a Melbourne hospital and a newly ordered Simpson lid tell me otherwise.) All jokes aside, a very lucky escape without serious injury for both drivers. The car is presently being 'righted' and will hopefully be driven here and in NZ by Greg next year.

b) refer (a)! First time I have seen this Matich A53 - sorry, but I don't know its history.

c) Again, I'm clueless as to the specific history of this car, which was driven for the first time by local motorsport magazine publisher, Chris Lambden.

One out of three ain't great....but I tried!

All the best
Peter

Edited by Speedy27, 30 April 2011 - 10:10.

[David McKinney]

Wow! More 250Fs than any but the best Goodwood gatherings

[NZALPA]

re the McRae GM 1 driven by Chris Lambden.......


This is chassis 4, I think.

Edited by NZALPA, 30 April 2011 - 11:01.

[brucemoxon]

The Matich is the John Goss car. Australian Grand Prix winner in 1976. I think this was just its second outing after restoration (it ran at Phillip Island the week before).




Bruce Moxon

[Lee Nicolle]

The Matich is the John Goss car. Australian Grand Prix winner in 1976. I think this was just its second outing after restoration (it ran at Phillip Island the week before).




Bruce Moxon

Just as an aside. Until recently I had always thought/presumed that the Goss car used a Ford engine when it actually used a Repco. Probably because of the Touring Car links and I think Mcleod Ford was on the car at least at sometime, possibly when he won the AGP.

[Bondy]

Since the Hocking car is the 76 AGP winner, its a shame it does'nt run in its 76 AGP winning guise ;)

[brucemoxon]

Just as an aside. Until recently I had always thought/presumed that the Goss car used a Ford engine when it actually used a Repco. Probably because of the Touring Car links and I think Mcleod Ford was on the car at least at sometime, possibly when he won the AGP.

John was developing a Ford 302ci engine, but I'm not sure if he ever raced the car with it. I think the Ford money had dried up by then.




Bruce Moxon

[Speedy27]

Wow! More 250Fs than any but the best Goodwood gatherings

4 of them at one meeting, David - quite a sight!

[Lola5000]

Since the Hocking car is the 76 AGP winner, its a shame it does'nt run in its 76 AGP winning guise ;)

I thought John Hermann owed it?

[Alan Cox]

Whose was the fourth 250F? I recognise Rick Hall, Peter Giddings and Tom Price, but not the chap in no. 4.

[David McKinney]

Looks rather like the Australian-resident CM10

[Lola5000]

Looks rather like the Australian-resident CM10

correct owned by CS and driven by Mr Delaney.

[Bondy]

I thought John Hermann owed it?

Chris has the Hermann car apparently...

[Lola5000]

Chris has the Hermann car apparently...

then that is the AGP car.